Earlier this month, four Frenship middle school students were selected for the All-Region Mariachi Band and one student as an alternate, after a rigorous audition process.
Frenship ISD is proud to announce Gavin Kruk from Frenship Middle School and Yomna Sabouni and Dorothy Bordeos from Heritage Middle School were chosen as mariachi violinists, and Delilah Lewis from FMS was named an alternate violinist. Additionally, Marcus Flores from Alcove Trails Middle School was selected as the male vocalist for the group.
The All-Region Mariachi consists of trumpets, violins, vihuela, guitars, guitarron, and vocals. The instrumentation is like a combination of band, orchestra, folk instruments, and choir. The ensemble is also a lot smaller than a traditional band or orchestra making it more difficult to earn a spot.
Merrie King, Orchestra Director at HMS, emphasized the importance of exposing students to mariachi music as part of their musical education.
“I think it’s important to represent many different cultural traditions in our students’ music education,” said King. “Mariachi is a valuable musical tradition in Texas, and we have some wonderful educators! It was a great opportunity for our students to learn from some of the best teachers in the state.”
In mariachi music, there is more of an emphasis on the rich heritage derived from Mexican culture. The vocal component is central to the mariachi genre. The lyrics are often in Spanish, and the uniforms, called trajes, are a tremendous source of pride and admiration in the Mexican culture.
The students selected for the band attended several rehearsals over two days with a clinician who specializes in mariachi music. They practiced their music with the goal of memorization. The music is performed from memory, and the students are taught to sing and perform in an expressive manner that connects directly to the audience
Stacey Nash, the Orchestra Director at FMS and ATMS, stated that she could not be more pleased with the students who auditioned for the regional mariachi ensemble.
“The violinists were willing to work hard to learn music in a style that was completely unfamiliar to them,” said Nash “I am especially proud of their willingness to try something completely different and pursue it to the best of their ability.”
Marcus Flores, the solo Frenship student selected as the male vocalist for the band, stated that he was proud to make Frenship history as one of the first members of the All-Region Mariachi. He credits his teacher, Nash, with encouraging him to audition and appreciates the support of the program.
“Being able to represent my amazing school and getting all the amazing comments from staff and other students makes me feel like I accomplished my goals,” said Flores. “Without the support from Frenship, I don't think I would have been able to do it.”
The four Frenship All-Region Mariachi students delivered a stunning performance, showcasing their talent and representing Frenship with pride. Their performance highlighted the strength and diversity of the district’s budding orchestra program.
King expressed pride in the program’s rapid progress. Despite being only in its second year, Frenship’s orchestra program has already earned spots in both the Region Mariachi and Region Orchestra.
“Each year we gain experience and maturity, and the momentum and energy of our program keeps increasing,” King said. “Students are excited about what we are doing and the plans we have for our program.”